Which countries retaliate against US tariffs?

The United States’ sweeping tariffs in 2025, primarily under President Donald Trump, have triggered a wave of retaliatory measures from several major trading partners. The following article outlines which countries have responded with their own tariffs, the nature of their retaliation, and the broader implications for global trade.

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Canada

• Canada responded swiftly to U.S. tariffs with its own set of retaliatory measures. On March 4, 2025, Canada imposed tariffs on a wide range of U.S. imports, including agricultural goods, appliances, motorcycles, apparel, certain paper products, and footwear.

• When the U.S. later waived tariffs for Canadian goods covered by the USMCA, Canada delayed a second round of tariffs but announced additional levies on U.S. steel and aluminum after the U.S. extended tariffs to those sectors.

• The Canadian government has also considered non-tariff actions, such as provincial surcharges on electricity exports to U.S. states, though some of these measures were later suspended.

China

• China has implemented several rounds of retaliatory tariffs. The first round, effective February 10, 2025, targeted U.S. coal, LNG, crude oil, agricultural machinery, large vehicles, and pickup trucks.

• After the U.S. escalated tariffs in March, China responded with new tariffs of 10% on U.S. chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, and 15% on soybeans and other agricultural products.

• China also enacted export controls on critical minerals, launched antitrust investigations into U.S. firms, and expanded its “Unreliable Entity” list to include more American companies.

• By April, China had raised tariffs on all U.S. imports to 84%, and following further U.S. escalation, to 125%.

European Union

• The EU has condemned the U.S. tariffs as unjustified and harmful, and on March 11, 2025, announced its own retaliatory tariffs, initially focusing on U.S. steel and aluminum.

• The EU plans to reimpose and expand tariffs similar to those used in previous trade disputes, targeting a broad range of U.S. goods and services, with further measures expected by the end of April 2025.

Mexico

• Mexico initially threatened retaliatory tariffs but delayed action after the U.S. exempted Mexican goods covered by the USMCA.

• President Claudia Sheinbaum indicated that Mexico would avoid immediate tit-for-tat tariffs, instead focusing on negotiations and cooperation on border and security issues.

• However, Mexico has reserved the right to impose tariffs should the U.S. end the USMCA exemptions, with potential targets including U.S. agricultural products and beverages.

Other Countries

• Taiwan labeled the new U.S. tariffs as “highly unreasonable” and expressed deep regret, but has not announced formal retaliation as of early April 2025.

• Australia and other Asian nations have criticized the tariffs but are generally seeking negotiation rather than direct retaliation, given their economic dependence on U.S. markets.

• The United Kingdom has ruled out immediate retaliation, preferring to negotiate for tariff reductions or exemptions.

Economic and Trade Impact

• The combined effect of U.S. tariffs and foreign retaliation has significantly reduced U.S. GDP growth, with estimates showing a decline of up to 1.1 percentage points in 2025.

• U.S. exports worth over $330 billion have been affected by retaliatory tariffs, with China, Canada, and the EU leading the response.

• The average effective U.S. tariff rate reached historic highs, peaking at 27% before some rollbacks, and the global trade environment remains volatile.

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Summary Table: Retaliatory Actions by Country

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Implications

The U.S. tariffs and subsequent retaliatory measures have escalated global trade tensions, disrupted supply chains, and increased costs for businesses and consumers in multiple countries. While some nations are opting for negotiation, the largest economies—Canada, China, and the EU—have taken decisive retaliatory steps, signaling a prolonged period of trade uncertainty.